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Bedtime Snacks That Help You Fall Asleep

The bedtime snack has been blamed for everything from insomnia to extra pounds. But the right ones can be healthy and help you get to sleep – and stay there. Here’s the skinny on late-night snacking...

Are late-night hunger pangs keeping you awake?

No wonder. It’s hard to fall asleep when your stomach is growling.

But go ahead, have a snack and get a good night’s sleep. Just make sure that what you nosh on is nutritious and sleep-promoting.

Low-fat options also ensure that you maintain a healthy weight.

Below are bedtime snacks to help you sleep, as well as info on munchies for building muscle and delectable treats that won’t derail your diet.

Snacks for SlumberSnacks generally fall into 2 categories: those that induce sleep and those that give us energy ­– “sleepers” and “wakers,” according to pediatrician William Sears, M.D., author of The Baby Sleep Book (Little, Brown & Co).

The best bedtime snacks contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body make serotonin, a chemical in the brain that aids in the sleep process.

A healthy bedtime snack includes complex carbohydrates, some protein and a bit of calcium. Slumber foods Dr. Sears recommends include:

Low-fat milk or cheese

Seafood, meat or poultry

Whole grains, such as a bowl of cereal with skim milk

Scrambled eggs

A peanut butter sandwich

Yogurt with granola sprinkled on top

A sliced apple with one ounce of cheese

Low-Calorie Bedtime SnacksTrying to drop a few extra pounds? That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a healthy bedtime snack.

Sip a steaming mug of decaffeinated herbal tea. The rich aroma and warm liquid will lull you to sleep in no time. But if you need something more substantial, the Mayo Clinic recommends making a 100-calorie choice, including:

1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries

2 cups of carrots

3-1/2 cups air-popped popcorn

5 rye or pumpernickel crackers

2 tablespoons of peanuts

2 domino-sized slices of low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese

½ cup cottage cheese with five strawberries

1 hard-boiled egg with a slice of Melba toast

Half a medium cantaloupe

29 pistachios

4 slices of ham with honey mustard, wrapped in lettuce leaves

½ mini bagel with 1 ounce of smoked salmon

Best Bedtime Snacks for AthletesSince the stretch between dinner and breakfast can be a long time to go without food, a bedtime snack can help to maintain tissue growth and repair for those who work out a lot.

If you’re on a weight-training program and working to burn fat and increase muscle mass, a healthy bedtime snack may be just the ticket.

Don’t turn that bedtime snack into a meal, however. Stick to the Mayo Clinic’s recommendation of 100-calorie snacks consisting of fiber and protein.

Some bodybuilders drink a protein shake that includes carbohydrates and fiber before going to bed. You can buy a variety of protein shakes or create your own.

Also don’t drink beverages containing caffeine or alcohol. Both can disturb your rest by waking you up every few hours during the night.helpful, as long as you balance your protein intake with complex carbohydrates.

How Your Dinner Helps You SleepEating a healthy meal at dinner that fills you up will prepare you for a night of rest, Weight Watchers recommends.

The best dinner choices include protein – for example, a chicken or tuna salad sandwich on whole-grain bread, seafood and pasta, or scrambled eggs with parsley or stir-fried veggies.

These dishes are all high in protein, with a small amount of complex carbohydrates, which aids in relaxation and get you ready for sleep, Weight Watchers reports.

How Calorie-Conscious Are You?One of the great secrets of weight loss isn't such a secret after all - limit the number of calories you consume each day and you'll lose weight. While calorie-counting can be tedious, gaining a basic knowledge of which foods will send you into a diet trap is easy. Find out how savvy you are with this calorie-conscious quiz.

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